I was introduced to the Florence Reece's song "Which Side Are You On?" by Pete Seeger's rendition of the song. I love Pete's version. It is a haunting song in many ways.I recently came across Natalie Merchant's cover of "Which Side Are You On?" It is equally haunting and beautiful.Back in May, I wrote about officially joining a union.Which side are you on?Author's Note: This is a modified re-post of a post I did on May 1 2013. … [Read more...]

Yesterday, I read a comment from a doctor who said that people living on minimum wage would not need to worry about the minimum wage if they had worked hard like he had and had gotten a good education. One specific thing he said was that they should "...study and educate yourself, and the world will pay you what it thinks your worth." You know, because doctors are worth a lot. Fast food workers are not.Then I discovered that he isn't even a real doctor. So apparently his value is just in … [Read more...]

It may not be who you think.From the Economic Policy Institute:The minimum wage is not a silver bullet for poverty or economic inequality. However, it is something concrete that Congress can address now. … [Read more...]

I love John Stuart Mill. However, it is probably a good thing he never read anything I ever wrote, because he was rather brutal and harsh.Historian Frank Prochaska has discovered Mill's comments of the American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson in letters by from Mill and in Mill's notes on a copy Emerson's Essays.History Today reports the following:The words ‘fudge’, ‘nonsense’, ‘oh’, ‘pooh’, ‘sentimental’, ‘superficial’, ‘stupid’, ‘very stupid’, ‘trash’ are among the many pencille … [Read more...]

Today, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a short video about the LDS Church Welfare system. The video addresses fast offerings, Bishop's storehouses, and the overall spirit of the program.I have been on the receiving end of Church welfare assistance a few times in my life. Sometimes other Mormons make comments about the Church welfare system that do not match my experience. This video portrays a spirit of caring that is very consistent with my experience receiving … [Read more...]

Martin Luther King Jr. is one of my very favorite figures in the history of American politics and social thought. I have always had a special respect for the civil rights movement, even during my days as a conservative. But King himself holds a special place in my thinking today. I think this is largely because King represented a form of left- leaning liberalism that died in American politics when he died in Memphis.Some of his greatest moments are the moments which made him a controversial … [Read more...]

Because demonizing the poor is so worth every penny.From Bryce Covert at ThinkProgress: Utah has spent more than $30,000 to drug test welfare applicants after it passed a new law last year. But in that time, just 12 people have tested positive for drug use, according to state figures.Utah doesn’t randomly test applicants or require them to all undergo a drug test, but instead requires them to complete a written questionnaire that is meant to screen for drug abuse. Those who have a high p … [Read more...]